Glossary

International Gothic

This is a term coined by art historians to describe a type of courtly painting created across Europe from the late14th to the mid15th centuries.

Its distinguishing characteristics are a decorative stylisation combined with a rich use of colours and gold decoration. Often pictures which are categorised in this manner are spatially illogical, but include beautifully observed naturalistic details.

It was principally practised at courts in France, Italy and Bohemia. Among its notable exponents are Giovanni di Paolo, Pisanello and Stefan Lochner. See the entry for Gothic.